The Only way
by Kitten The Kokeshi Doll
Summary: This sorry tale of the Baudelaire children contains a assortment of unfortunate events including liars, boys, pregnancy and of course Count Olaf.
1. Default Chapter

A/n: my first SOUE story. I'm trying to grasp the writers style but as any good writer knows he or she has their own writing style and it is very hard to imitate others a phrase which here means 'impossible for Misfit to copy Lemony Snickets exact awesome writing techniques'  
  
Chapter 1  
  
If you are reading this sorry tale of the Baudelaire's you have most likely clicked on the wrong link. I suggest you hit the back button on your browser and find another section of the site one which might be more pleasing. This story however contains the pains and troubles of the three Baudelaire orphans and the Quagmire triplets. This is the last warning I shall give the readers of this fanfiction to click back and forget you ever started this story.  
  
The story begins not with 'once upon a time' like so many cliché fairy tales do nor does it end 'happily ever after' This story begins with Violet Baudelaire crossing the banks of the Stricken Stream. She was sopping wet and her two siblings were following in her footsteps as they drudged around trying to find the Hotel Denouement. The were following the meandering tributary not only in the hopes of finding the hotel which was the last safe meeting place for the V.F.D but in the hopes of finding the third Quagmire triplet who everyone seemed to think dead. Quigley Quagmire was very much alive, or at least he had been up until a few hours ago. Now he was god knows where, seperated from the Baudelaires.  
  
However I said our story starts with Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire travelling up the stricken streams muddy and ash laden banks, not with the separation of their companion. The three orphans sneezed and coughed the water had drenched the only clothes they had with them. Sunny was the first to break the awkward silence that hung over the siblings like a blanket. "Klusk!" she wailed which probably meant something along the lines of 'I'm cold and wet and I need to find accomodation fast!' Klaus sighed being Sunny's older brother he could easily understand her childish chatter others may class as nonsense. "We know we're looking for the hotel but even if we get there something could go... wrong." He adjusted his glasses. It was rather miraculous Klaus's glasses weren't smashed to smithereens after they'd just travelled half way down a waterfall only to plunge to what would have been certain death had Violet not happened to have a bread knife in her pocket.  
  
"The world is quiet here." Whispered Violet who at 14 was the eldest of the Baudelaire children. "Huh?" Sunny asked curiously for she had not been with her siblings when they had acquired this piece of information. It was the motto written above the steel archway in the ruined V.F.D building. V.F.D was the secret organisation called Volunteer Fire Department as Klaus and Violet had recently discovered. "Nevermind Sunny I..." Violet sneezed which cut her off mid sentence. She didn't continue her sentence just left it hanging mid air. In most circumstances this is considered extremely rude. There are however some cases in which leaving a sentence hanging is excusable, if by chance you are an author having a rivetting conversation with your loved ones and suddenly the walls begin closing in and the room begins to flood it may be excusable to leave your conversation about cheese at a standstill for the timebeing. It may also be excusable if you are having a long boring conversation with your editor about your next story and a bull suddenly appears and gores him to death. It is also excusable if, like Violet Baudelaire, You had just seen the Hotel Denouement seemingly appear out of nowhere. It was previously masked in the steam from the waterfall. Outside the hotel stood two very familiar faces. Almost identical faces.  
  
"Is this real or just Fata Morgana?" Klaus whispered. The two Quagmire triplets Duncan and Isadora looked up and gasped. "Bravo we knew you'd do it, we just didn't expect you to be so... wet." Laughed Duncan surveying Violet's sodden attire. "Odskip!" Sunny protested. The translation was not needed amongst the Baudelaires as they understood perfectly that their sister meant 'Well that was hardly our fault.' "Come on, Klaus can borrow some of my clothes and Violet Isadora's." "Me!" Cried Sunny. Although her language was very distorted she occasionally spoke in a way others could understand. "Don't worry Sunny I'm sure we'll find you something." Isadora said smiling at her friend. "Not meaning to sound rude but what're you doing here?" Klaus asked. "When we last left you, you were floating around in a giant flying house." "Hector dropped us off here in the Valley so we would hopefully meet up with you, we've only been here a few days." Isadora explained. "Do you know the V.F.D headquarters were burned down?" Violet asked. Duncan nodded gravely. "We also know the Snicket file said someone survived the fire were your... were your parents at the headquarters." Duncan asked tenderly. "Our parents perished in the fire at the Baudelaire mansion." Said Klaus sadly.  
  
"However we did meet the survivor." Klaus added dramatically. Isadora and Duncan had politely turned their backs while their friends got changed they were now facing a wall. There are many boring things to stare at in life, a long book for instance, but if however you happen to like long books this may not be so tedious. There was nothing at that moment Duncan and Isadora found interesting about that wall. Duncan kept his eyes from straying by keeping them tightly closed. Isadora seemed very interested in her shoe laces, why her shoe laces she did not know, as shoelaces are one of the tedious things previously mentioned. Tedious is a word often used to describe something so boring it needn't be described. I shall not bother you with a full description of Isadora's shoe laces. "He was a very nice boy." Klaus continued as he pulled on Duncan's shirt. "Klaus stop that this instant!" Violet snapped. "Meanie!" Sunny shrieked which meant something along the lines of 'Klaus Baudelaire don't you dare hold these two in suspense any longer.' Or perhaps it meant 'where are MY spare clothes' It was hard to tell. "The survivor of the fire was Quigley." Duncan and Isadora turned around. Violet blushed and pulled Isadora's blouse over her chest. Duncan quickly closed his eyes again while she buttoned up.  
  
"Quigley's... alive? Where is he?" "I'm afraid we got seperated." Klaus said sadly. "He told us to meet him somewhere we had no idea where so we assumed he'd be heading here. As this is the last safe place." "Last safe place?" Asked Isadora in puzzlement. Together the three Baudelaire children explained exactly what Quigley had told them and what they had discovered on the Mortmain Mountains. "He's still after you? Oh god." Isadora said when their friends had finished the grim tale. "He's coming to torch this place but by my calculations unless he decides to come Via river he won't get here until Friday and by then it will be too late." "Hopefully." Violet mused. "The V.F.D will meet here on Thursday as scheduled." "You three can share our room. It's two small beds so it may be a little cramped." "There's a fold up cot in one of the cupboards." "I'm not a baby." Sunny said indignantly. "Sunny I'm afraid you don't have a choice it's either that or squash your sister half to death." Isadora said sympathetically a word which here means 'she felt sorry for both Sunny and Violet whomever would come worse off in the situation.'  
  
Night fell very soon and the Baudelaires shared the Quagmires food, something that was not unusual for them as they had all gone to Prufrock Prepatory School, where children were deprived of silverware, cups or even dinner did they not obey the simply ridiculous rules. The Quagmires were thrilled to no end with the thought their brother may knock on the door at any moment. "Bed!" Sunny said crawling into the cot. "You Beds!" "Did your sister just call me a bed?" Duncan asked curiously. "How odd." "No I think she means what are our sleeping arrangements? Is it Me and Violet being siblings or Me and Duncan being male?" "It doesn't matter does it?" Violet said shrugging her shoulders. "Duncan kicks." Isadora suddenly blurted. Meaning she suddenly told them something that seemed totally irrelevant. "Yeah well you scratch." Duncan countered. "Well maybe it's preferred you two don't share," Klaus reasoned trying to avoid any bloodshed. "Well then Me and Isadora and You and Duncan?" Suggested Violet. They all nodded. "I have no problem with that." They all said in unison.  
  
Unison comes from the Latin word uni or ono which means one. This does not mean they all merged into one person and spoke it means they said it at the same time in the same tone. Violet lay silently on the bed next to Isadora they were far from the land of nod. "Quigley's Ok right?" Isadora asked nervously. "Yes. He didn't shut up about you." Violet smiled slightly. With that happy thought Isadora was content to fall asleep. There are three kinds of sleep in this world. A dreamless sleep which is just as its name says, a sleep filled with dreams wether happy or terrifying, and the big sleep. I wish I could say Beatrice was sleeping dreamlessly but alas she follows the latter pattern of sleep. Isadora was evidently sleeping peacefully where as Violet fell into a fitful sleep.  
  
Flames licked at the corners of her mind. She could smell the burning. She could hear the screaming. She watched on helplessly as her mother fell to the ground followed by her father. Olaf was in the background laughing maniacally. The smoke choked Violet and she couldn't breathe. She tried to smack it out of her way knowing that her hand would act as a makeshift fan. The scene then changed to a graveyard. She was weeping over four graves. Emily Baudelaire. George Baudelaire. Klaus Baudelaire and Sunny Baudelaire. A hand snaked around her mouth and she thrashed as they tried to drag her. Her hands lashed out and suddenly came into contact with something very real and very solid.  
  
"Ow." Muttered Duncan rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Are you ok Violet?" There are some questions in life that are simply so stupid they do not warrant an answer depending on who said them, if a waiter in MacDonald's asked you your shoe size you may feel very inclined to dump your super- sized milkshake over his or her head, if however a shoe salesman asked you your shoe size there would be no quibble whatsoever. 'Are you ok?' is one of those questions everyone seems to ask when it is perfectly evident that you are not ok. Such a question is called a rhetorical question, meaning they do not want an answer, under normal circumstances. Violet could tell by the silver slit of light the moon cast through the curtains Duncan was genuinely worried about her. "I'm... It was...Just a dream..." "Yeah. Just a dream." He whispered comfortingly to her. Violet didn't see it as just a dream though although it had been her that had first said it. It had seemed so real. Was she really to be the last Baudelaire standing? Oh god. Violet buried her head in her hands. She must not cry. She wasn't allowed to cry.  
  
Duncan put a reassuring hand on her shoulder but that only made her feel worse. As the oldest she felt a responsibility to look after them all be they Baudelaire or Quagmire. Here she was having a break down over a dream where she had let her family down. "It's just a dream Violet." He whispered again. She stood up and crossed to the window. The moon shone onto her face illuminating her features. Duncan sighed. "Come on back to bed, you'll be fit for nothing tomorrow" "What if there isn't a tomorrow?" Violet questioned. She knew it was an impossible maybe even rhetorical question. For nobody could tell if there was a tomorrow until tomorrow came, if it came that is.  
  
"That's an impossible question." Duncan said. "Nobody knows if tomorrow will come until it comes." Violet nodded. "I still don't feel like going back to sleep." She muttered but she acted on instruction she climbed into the bed. "Izzy come on, out." Duncan shook her. 'Watch this' he mouthed to the eldest Baudelaire. "Come on back to your own bed." She stood up and wandered vaguely in the direction of Klaus's bed. There was a dull sound of mattress springs creaking as she climbed into bed. "Feel a bit better?" he asked her as he slid into her bed. Violet nodded. She looked at him. Quigley was an exact carbon copy. Klaus was the most well read of the three Baudelaire orphans and would have had no trouble in telling his sister that triplets are rarely three identical it's usually one set of twins and an extra. Isadora happened to be the extra. Quigley had kissed her earlier, upon the waterfall. She had not breathed a word of this to her siblings, nor did she know if she would ever see Quigley again. When Quigley had kissed her it had felt... odd. Odd is a word often used to describe a pair of socks that don't match or a writer who feels she has to record these events. In this case odd means it didn't feel quite right.  
  
The bed was extremely small. Violet was nearly falling out of it keeping to the edge so as not to intrude on his half of the bed. Duncan seemed to find this amusing. "What?" "nothing... come here." "I am here." Violet said in a polite and patient voice. It was rude to speak in the no nonsense tone Carmelita Spatz often spoke in. Carmelita was a terrible girl who up until recently had only been a brat now she was an evil brat working for count Olaf who was somewhere plotting terrible deeds. Duncan decided Violet was pretty naïve and wrapped his arm around her gently pulling her a little closer. "You're falling off." "Thanks." She muttered in embarrassment. "Now, are you going to tell me what your dream was about then?" She looked at him hesitantly she knew she could trust him. She explained about how because she was the oldest she felt obliged [a word which here means felt like she had to even though it wasn't REALLY her job] to look after her siblings. About how she felt so useless about her parents dying and about how she felt if she cried she'd look weak and she needed to be strong for Klaus and Sunny.  
  
"Feel better." He asked her when her rant was well and truly over. "Yes." She muttered. "You know how you said you don't want to cry in front of Sunny and Klaus? They're not looking so if you need to cry then..." "I don't want to cry." "Putting on a brave face doesn't make you brave Violet. A famous journalist once said 'The man...'" he paused "Er... 'woman who shows great bravery shows it only by facing him...er... herself.'" Violet nodded. Duncan squeezed her shoulder lightly. "Goodnight. Sweet dreams." He whispered in her ear. There are as far as I know two types of 'crush' in the world. One is describing a particularly rough way of squashing someone. I was once crushed between a wall a luggage rack and a very large liverpudlian man on a train on my way to deliver this to my editor. The other type of crush is a strong romantic flare for someone of the opposite... or even same gender. When Violet was 'Crushing' on Duncan I can only assume it was the second type of crush and she was not crushing him against the headboard. "Goodnight." Violet returned. She fell asleep in his arms a dreamless sleep. This felt right.  
  
"AH!" was the sound Duncan and Violet awoke to. "What're you doing in my bed?" Said two very shocked voices. Violet had to stop herself bursting into uncontrollable fits of giggles by stuffing her fist into her mouth. Duncan looked tempted to do the same. "You're in my bed...Look you used to be over there." Klaus said. Isadora then realised he was 100% right. "DUNCAN QUAGMIRE!" she yelled angrily. Duncan shrugged. "Sorry Izzy..." "Don't call me Izzy." She said chewing her bottom lip. "Only Quigley calls me Izzy." "So why did you switch with Isadora then?" Klaus asked in puzzlement. Violet squirmed awkwardly she didn't want to admit she had been having nightmares although she was almost certain that Klaus and Sunny would have nightmares in the same train of thought.  
  
"You were sleepwalking." Duncan lied smoothly. "So I got up tried to get you back to bed and you whacked me." He pointed to the small mark on his nose where Violet had struck him the previous night. "So I just let you when you got into bed with Klaus and came in with Violet." Violet nodded as if to confirm this lie. As we all know from a very young age it is wrong to lie especially to those close to you. in some cases though a lie is more pleasing to hear than the truth. For instance it may be better to lie and say you're on Vacation instead of telling your mother you do not want her round for tea because she is an insufferable know it all. This was one of those times. "Noisy." Sunny yawned. "Yes we are aren't we..." Sunny then said something even her siblings couldn't quite comprehend. 'Knock knock." Was she trying to tell a joke? "What?" "Knock knock." Sunny repeated more firmly. Violet slid from the bed and opened the door. "YOU FOUND US!" she cried. There in the doorway was the unmistakable if a little wet form of Quigley Quagmire.  
  
We shall leave the Baudelaire Quagmire group there for now as this chapter has exceeded five pages. I shall not keep you in suspense too long though. 


	2. chapter 2

A/n: When I started this recollection of the events I had no idea how terrible a mistake a certain Baudelaire female would make later on in my research. I started this story therefore I have to finish you however do not. I urge you to bypass this story and go to another site this instant. You have been warned.  
  
Chapter 2.  
  
"Who is it?" asked Duncan yawning. Violet stepped aside to let Quigley in. There was a mixed reaction from the two remaining triplets. Isadora sat down looking pale with her hand clasped to her mouth. Duncan took a more direct approach and fell off the bed. Violet raised her eyebrows. Duncan tried to force his way through the piles of bedding that had fallen on top of him.   
"Woah who died? Oh yeah... me." Laughed Quigley. Violet shook her head and rolled her eyes. Isadora suddenly threw herself into her brothers arms in tears.   
"I don't believe it... I really don't. Klaus told me but... I didn't believe it."   
"Izzy calm down for god's sake you're going to strangle me." But Quigley, despite his protest, didn't have the heart to pry his sister away from him he just smiled. Duncan was finally freeing himself. Violet laughed and pulled the covers from him.   
"What did I miss?" Quigley asked noting the fact Violet's hair ribbon was laying on the covers.   
"Nothing happened." Violet said quickly. She didn't know why she was denying it so suddenly. Perhaps she secretly didn't want Quigley to know. No, that wasn't it.  
  
"Great to have you back." Duncan muttered. Quigley nodded. Violet knew boys didn't show emotion as well as girls but she knew each was thrilled to see the other. "Ugh we only ordered five breakfasts so you'll have to share with one of us."   
"Can I get dressed first I'm soaked." In all the excitement everyone had totally forgotten Quigley was still wet from his trip down the river. Everyone except Duncan and Quigley went down to breakfast.  
"I told you so." Now when one says 'I told you so' it is often in a rude tone however when Klaus spoke to Isadora it was in a quiet well mannered tone. Isadora gave him a weak smile.   
"I know...It's just a bit of a shock that's all." Isadora then did something that perhaps would have been better done in private, she kissed his cheek lightly. "Thank you." Klaus nodded his face crimson. Violet just smiled to herself.  
  
"Kiss?" questioned Sunny to her sister. Violet smiled.   
"Yeah," She said. "they kissed."   
"You kiss?" Violet looked puzzled for a moment her sister said the oddest things sometimes. Violet knew she wasn't calling her a kiss [as Duncan usually thought along those lines] she was asking...   
"You mean have I ever been kissed?" Violet asked curiously. Sunny nodded and smiled showing all of her razor like teeth. Sunny's teeth had saved her on numerous occasions.   
"Yes."   
"No Mummy!" she said suddenly. The toddler still spoke in a high screechy voice which made Duncan [who had just descended the stairs] look over at her.  
"Family not included eh? Still yes." Violet muttered. Sunny didn't question any further but perhaps this was because her mouth was clogged up with cornflakes. Violet was glad she didn't question any further as she didn't feel like discussing her private life with her sister at this moment. Much less Duncan.  
"Who?" Violet jumped and knocked her spoon to the floor she quickly ducked under the table to retrieve it.  
  
"Pardon?"   
"I said who." He sat down next to her. Quigley Isadora and Klaus were sat on the other end of the table.   
"Nevermind, it was no big deal ok." Violet glanced over at Quigley who raised one eyebrow in puzzlement. "It didn't mean anything."   
"Hm." Duncan said awkwardly. Violet shook her head and continued with her breakfast. She knew full well he didn't believe her but there was nothing she could do because she didn't know if she believed herself.  
  
Violet couldn't help but dwell on her dream. Mostly the second part of it. What if she truly was to be the last Baudelaire standing. She sat alone in the bedroom while the others played in the lobby. Her fingers traced the titles of the books on the bookshelves. If I could rewind time I should very much like to remove one particular book from this collection however I cannot remove it and Violet Baudelaire happened to find it.   
'**Legal rights in the case of the deceased**.' Was the title of this book. Violet pulled it across to the desk and opened it pages rustled in the wind and it landed open on page 62.  
  
"_If the inheritance of a deceased is in jeopardy the next of kin automatically inherits anything the deceased owned or was due to acquire_." Violet assumed Klaus and Sunny were her next of kin as they were the closest members of family she had. But if she truly was to be the last of her siblings this would be of no help. "_A will can only be made by someone above legal age_." So she couldn't leave anything to the Quagmires should something happen to her or her siblings. There were a lot of complicated words in the book after this section Violet felt sure her brother would know. However she didn't want her brother to know what she was doing. She hated working behind their backs but... "_If a woman is of the deceased._" That referred to her right? Was she classed as a woman? Or still a child? 14 was pretty old. "_Then a child of that woman would inherit anything the woman owned_." That was the piece of information that could prove fatal to fourteen year old Violet Baudelaire.   
"Violet?" asked a voice.   
"Hm?" Violet replied vaguely '_The child does not have to be conceived within marital status_.' Violet assumed that meant she did not have to be married. '_nor does it have to be christened. All the requirements are that the child has the name of either the mother or the father on the birth certificate_'   
"What're you reading?" Violet shut the book quickly.  
"Nothing nevermind, it's not important." She avoided Duncan's eye contact. He looked at her quirking his eyebrows as he did so. He took the book from her hands. She didn't object.  
  
He flicked to the page she'd been on. The page marked 62 was dog eared. A phrase which means 'the corner of the page was rather ragged' and not 'the page suddenly sprouted fluffy ears in an exact replica of my Labrador'  
"Second Paragraph." Violet whispered, she had a sudden fixation on her shoes. As I have previously stated shoe laces are amongst the most boring things on this earth. The shoe laces of Violet Baudelaire were no different to the shoe laces of Isadora Quagmire they were simply a way to divert her mind. I shall once again opt not to bore you with a description of Violet's shoe laces.  
"_If a woman is of the deceased then a child of that woman would inherit anything the woman owned_? So? You already know that."   
"If I truly am to be the last member of my family..."   
"Oh no! Nuh uh no way... you can't." a look of dawning comprehension on his face. The use of this sentence here means 'he had just figured out what Violet was up to and was now going to try and dissuade her.' Dissuade is a fancy word meaning 'to talk someone out of something' or in this case 'talk Violet out of her simply ridiculous idea'   
"I..." It was very rude to cut someone off but Duncan thought he'd stop her before she got into her stride.   
"No Violet." He said firmly. She still avoided eye contact.   
"If I'm going to die I need to set up a secure..."   
"You're not going to die!" Duncan said furiously. He sat on the bed and chewed his lip.   
"You don't know that." Violet whispered sadly.   
"You're right. I don't, Nobody knows. But that's no cause for... for... for...this!" he smacked the book with the palm of his hand. Violet hung her head. She then told herself 'Sunny and Klaus aren't here' and then burst into tears.  
  
"Oh god, Violet don't cry." Duncan looked very concerned. He knew she didn't like to cry. He put his hand shakily on her shoulder. It was then Violet said those four words. Those four words were going to change her life forever.  
"I want your help." I shall leave these two here for this moment in time and instead I shall turn to Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire and Isadora and Quigley Quagmire. Now I am sure you shall all hate me for leaving these two at that particular moment in time, but I shall explain now that this story has to remain at the safe content of PG-13 so no more shall be mentioned for the meantime. I shall leave it up to you to guess what happened next.  
  
Isadora picked Sunny up and swung her round. Sunny shrieked in pleasure. For the Baudelaire/Quagmire orphans it had been so long since they had REALLY enjoyed themselves. No they were in the lobby of the hotel listening to music on the radio. There was no worry about disturbing the other guests as there were no other guests as of yet. Klaus and Quigley laughed as their sisters made spectacles of themselves. Isadora was doing some ridiculous dance while Sunny was chanting her own words to the song. Isadora grabbed Klaus's hand and tried to drag him to the makeshift dance floor.  
"No I... I... I don't dance..." he forced himself back to the sofa, a red tinge creeping up his face. Isadora stuck out her tongue called Klaus a spoil sport then dragged her brother to the floor. Sunny laughed and, not able to dance on her own- barely being of walking age, took a seat on her brothers lap.   
"Kiss?" she asked.   
"Pardon?"  
"Kiss Isadora Kiss." She said pointing repeatedly at Isadora. Klaus looked at Isadora then back to his sister. She was no longer a baby [as she constantly reminded them] and was starting to notice how people felt. She had most certainly seen through Klaus's mask. This does not mean Klaus was wearing a mask it merely meant he was trying to hide something.  
  
"Yes, I do like her... happy?" he asked.   
"Ecstatic." Anyone who is fluent in English knows that words means over the moon with joy [not literally of course], Klaus was just surprised Sunny knew. He smiled.   
"You know, sometimes I underestimate you Sunny." She smiled and gave her brother a small kiss on the cheek.  
"I'm not a baby." She whispered. Klaus nodded. He knew she wasn't a baby. She had been forced out of a happy infanthood by Count Olaf and now her childhood was in jeopardy too. She wasn't as helpless as she seemed. As most of us know it can be very dangerous to underestimate somebody or something. Something such as a sugarbowl may seem like a perfectly innocent thing to take yet the taking of that sugarbowl may lead directly to your death. It may also be dangerous to underestimate someone's knowledge, if someone tells you not to climb the preliminary fence of a tigers enclosure you may meet a sticky end should you choose to underestimate their knowledge, or you should know better next time [should you survive].  
  
"I'm exhausted, is it dinner time?"  
"Yes. I think, come on."   
"Wait a moment, where are Violet and Duncan?" Quigley asked suddenly. He appeared to be the first to have noticed the disappearance of the two. When having fun children can often be very unobservant.   
"Uh oh..." Sunny said. "Find." She clambered off up the stairs.   
"She means she'll go get them." Klaus assured the confused couple. Isadora accepted this and took Klaus's hand in an attempt to drag him to the dining room. The dining room wasn't full as it was to be just the 6 of them.  
  
"Knock knock." Sunny said and hammered her tiny fists on the door.   
"Should we answer her?" Duncan asked in puzzlement.   
"Tell the others I'll be down in a minute Sunny." Violet said. She was sat on her bed beside Duncan.  
"Two?" Came Sunny's reply.   
"Yes Duncan aswell." Violet answered.   
"Are you ok Violet?" There was that annoying question I have previously mentioned.   
"Hm?" Violet asked vaguely. "Oh yeah I'm fine." Violet blew a strand of hair from her eyes. Her ribbon was in her jacket pocket having been rescued from the covers.  
"Come on." Duncan tucked the strand behind her ear. Here I shall use the expression 'too close for comfort' which means Violet felt threatened by how close he was to her. She wasn't frightened of him. She was frightened of herself, what she'd just done and what she might do yet.   
"Come on." She stood up leaving a very dazed and confused Duncan sat on the bed. "And remember... Shh." He nodded in response. He understood what she meant. Sometimes girls were more confusing than a toddler who was only just grasping speech.

"Well hello you two." Isadora said in her sing-song poetic voice.   
"Hello." Chirruped Violet. Sunny stared at them both and giggled. She puckered her lips and made kissy noises which made Isadora laugh.   
"Oh shut up." Muttered Duncan his face now a bright shade of crimson. He looked as though he had just run a marathon or had just escaped from the lions of Caligari Carnival when doing the research of the Baudelaire orphans.   
"Violet can I have a word... in private." Quigley stood up and walked out. Violet shrugged her shoulders. She personally had no idea of what Quigley could want. Or did she?  
  
"So are you two..." He started. Violet bit her lip. Typical boy, ask the awkward question at the exact wrong moment.  
"No...yes...sort of." Violet was unsure of what her and Duncan were exactly.   
"So the slippery slope.." Quigley paused. "Meant nothing to you... nothing at all." He looked very forlorn.   
"Hey back off!" she said moodily. Being fourteen she was prone to mood swings and with everything Violet Baudelaire had been through in the last few months she felt she was entitled to a few temper tantrums. "It was you who started the whole Slippery slope thing off!"   
"I didn't see you complaining!" Quigley said furiously. His eyes flashing menacingly.   
"I was confused, ok? The only reason I didn't push you away is because I thought in a few moments I could be dead!" That was not entirely true Violet had not thought she was on deaths door at that moment and truth be told she really had no idea why she had kissed him back.   
"Oh I get it." He muttered. "Substitute me until you can get back to my brother eh? I'm not my brother."   
"I know you're not I'm sorry Quigley." She put her hand out to touch his shoulder but he flinched away.   
"Leave me alone."  
"I'm really sorry I shouldn't have lead you on." Violet said shifting her weight from her left foot to her right and more dominant foot. Quigley wandered off up the stairs. Violet chewed her lip. She could follow him and probably get into trouble with her friends and siblings or she could go into the room and eat her dinner.  
  
She chose the latter decision.  
"Hey where's..." started Isadora worriedly. It was no secret Isadora was a bit clingy with one of her triplets and it was no surprise considering she had spent the last two years believing him to be dead.   
"Don't ask." Violet muttered she jabbed her thumb to the ceiling.   
"Uh oh..." Sunny said. She could read her big sister like a book, she crawled off Klaus's lap and onto Violets.  
"Poor baby." She said brushing her sisters hair out of her eyes. "Poor Violet baby." One may think this was an odd thing for Sunny to say to her elder sister. Violet however didn't think it that. It was what mother had always said to her children when they were upset. Sunny evidently had an impeccable memory.  
"I'm not a baby Sunny. Just puzzled." Violet whispered. Her little sister seemed to accept this as an excuse and stole a raw carrot off of Klaus's plate. He rolled his eyes. It was common knowledge Sunny's favourite hobby was biting things. Anything from raw carrots to walls. I would like to take this moment in time to say to any of my older readers with younger siblings, please do no attempt to race your sisters or brothers up walls by sticking their teeth in it, it may result in temper tantrums and a possible punishment from your parents, unless your parents happen to be busy in which case by all means let the races begin.  
  
"Why does Sunny call Violet baby?" Isadora queried.   
"It might be private ok Izzy drop it." Duncan did not want to hear any more on the subject of babies.   
"Don't call me Izzy!" Protested Isadora.   
"She called her 'Violet baby' because it's what Mum used to call us all. Her babies. Even when I was 12 and this whole thing started she still called me and Violet baby." Klaus smiled at the memory of his father tucking him in while his mother whispered. '_Goodnight Klaus Baby_.' It was not that long ago in comparison.  
  
Night time drew the day to a close around the friends.  
"Who's sleeping where?"   
"Can we fit three in a bed?" asked Duncan doubtfully.   
"If we squash up we could." Quigley said surveying the size of the bed. The problem was there was one more than yesterday so last nights awkwardness would probably be tripled.  
"Quigley you know I love you but there is no way in hell am I sharing with you, you're worse than Duncan." Quigley smiled sheepishly as though this sufficed as an apology.   
"Sorry Izzy." There was a brief moment of awkward silence during which several odd glances were exchanged.   
"Me and Violet and the three boys?"   
"Not going to work, boys are bigger than girls." Klaus shrugged as they all looked at him "I read it in 'a journal of anatomy' anatomy means..."   
"To do with the human body." Finished Quigley.  
  
"Quigley Klaus and Violet... no because that would leave me with Duncan... er..."  
"Duncan Quigley and Violet and you and me?" Suggested Klaus with a slight pink tinge to his cheeks. Violet bit her lip. She was in danger of bursting it the amount of times she'd bit it but a little blood was nothing. Nothing compared to speaking her mind.  
"Sure." Isadora said. Quigley nodded and looked over at Violet, Violet looked away only to find herself facing Duncan. Although it had been her idea she wasn't too comfortable around him either at the moment. The girls got dressed in the en suite bathroom. Tomorrow was Tuesday. They would have to wait til Thursday before anything major happened.  
  
Quigley spent ages brushing his teeth which meant Violet had to get in the middle. It was rather cramped between the two brothers and Violet found herself hardly daring to breathe.   
"No more nightmares tonight?" Whispered Duncan. Violet was glad it was dark as she now thought her name should be Magenta as it was the colour she had turned.   
"No more... ever." She whispered.   
"What nightmares?" Intervened Quigley.  
"Never you mind know it all." Duncan hissed. It was only meant to be playful. Brothers have a way of teasing one another. Worst is when a brother bullies a sister. My brother seems to think it a waste of a visit if he doesn't hang me by my ankles everytime he sees me.   
"Ah," Said a voice in the dark.   
"_The love of my brothers  
a bond like no others_." It was the first poem Isadora had recited since the Baudelaires had arrived at the hotel. Quigley grinned.  
"Same old Izzy."   
"Who else would I be!" Violet gave a small smile. Isadora and Quigley were back together. Duncan seemed to like the fact his brother was back but he didn't seem as thrilled as Isadora.  
  
"Go on Izzy one more." Duncan's and Quigley's voices were identical so it was hard to tell who'd said it.   
"_The signs that things are ok from above  
is falling asleep beside the ones you love_." Violet could only imagine the look on Klaus's face then there was a thud. Klaus had apparently fallen out of bed.   
"Oh brother." Said a voice from the left of the room. Violet knew Sunny wasn't referring to her brother more like his antics. She smiled as everyone around her laughed. She hoped this moment would last yet she knew deep down, it couldn't.  
  
I shall now let the Baudelaires and the Quagmires sleep peacefully although you should know that Klaus got back into bed, he did not opt for sleeping on the floor. You may also find it a great comfort to know, if you are a big fan of Violet and Duncan, that Duncan held her hand all night. It was a way to try prevent the nightmares and also to see if they were still talking. It came as a great relief to the tired out teenager that she squeezed back. 


	3. chapter 3

A/n: Ok I shall continue. I'll have you know I'm having a lot of trouble updating my fanfics lately so... bare with me. As we all know a certain someone i shall not mention names for reasons like perhaps getting banned, however this certain someone has copied my work. Further up this list of fanfics you shall find another fic called 'The only way' please do not read it as it's a cheap knock off of mine. they have been reported

Chapter three.

Violet woke up between the two male triplets. She disentangled her hand from Duncan's and pulled herself up. Sunny was already awake and banging on the edge of her cot with a plastic cup. She looked like a miniature jail bird.

"Morning." Violet yawned

"Risey Sunshine." Sunny smiled, a rare option for the toddler. She was often to be seen with her face puckered and scrunched up in tears.

"Yeah, yeah, wakey wakey I know." Violet yawned. She crawled to the bottom and escaped over the foot of the bed. "Come on." She said heaving her sister from the bed.

"Triwake." By 'Triwake' Sunny meant 'what if my brother or the Quagmire triplets wake up?'

"They're old enough to get their own breakfast." She said. She was followed down the stairs by Quigley who was evidently an early riser. Or perhaps he had been awoken by the two sisters talking. Talking is not the most unpleasant sound to wake up to in the world, you may for instance wake up to the sound of dogs barking, in a bloodthirsty pack about to tear you limb from limb. You may wake up to the ominous sound of creaking and realise the self sustaining mobile hot air home you borrowed from Hector has crashed on top of Mount Fraught leaving you totally stranded. Or you may wake up to dogs barking and an ominous creaking sound indicating you are stuck on Mount Fraught with a pack of bloodthirsty dogs about to be torn limb from limb. So you can imagine how much of a relief it may be to wake up to talking.

"You don't know how much of a relief it is to wake up to you talking." He said. Violet looked at him and smiled.

"Sorry about yesterday," she said nervously. He laughed.

"It's water under the bridge Violet." Water under the bridge refers not to water below rickety footbridges like the one I have crossed many times, not at all. Water under the bridge in this case means 'he had gotten over it' just like I myself got over the rickety footbridge.

"Informative." Sunny snapped.

"Sorry Sunny, she means that we should tell her what's happening or...not speak at all." Violet explained.

"Sorry Sunny."

"S'okee." She probably meant s'okay rather that a sock puppet or a wet...anything. Violet passed around the breakfasts. Sunny insisted she didn't want her own, she'd rather pick at Violet's food.

"OlaThurs?" asked Sunny.

"I hope not."

"Pardon?"

"She asked if Olaf is going to show up on Thursday..." Violet bit her lip. "And I can't answer..."

"Hey don't beat yourself up over it Violet." To not beat oneself up doesn't mean you're not allowed to hit your head in annoyance or kick yourself [although that shouldn't be attempted either], it means it isn't that persons fault, and that they shouldn't blame themselves.

She nodded.

"We can only hope our side of V.F.D get here before his do."

"True." Violet stated pulling her hair up into a ribbon. Her hands were numb from the cold. It was nearly as cold inside the hotel as outside on the mountains. After being there a few days she knew the heat didn't turn on til ten. Quigley leaned over and tied it in a bow. She blushed.

"Thanks."

"What are you thinking of?... from experience I know you only tie your hair up when you're thinking of an invention."

"Yes... the heating system, auto switches on at ten right? I'm wondering if I can rig the system to go on earlier." She paused. Quigley respected she was thinking and absently gave Sunny a carrot.

"Aha..." she said she grabbed a chair and dragged it over to an airing cupboard. She stood on it and began to tinker inside. Although he knew she was examining to see if she had the equipment she needed to create her desired invention he asked her anyway. For the sake of conversation.

"What're you doing?"

"Re wiring the heating, If I can re route this, only it will be in a channel of heat, Sunny check that storage cupboard is there a fan?" Sunny tottered out carrying fan larger than herself. Violet dragged a long tube, big enough to fit Sunny in comfortably, across the room.

"Careful you two this is hot. Hopefully the fan should act as a ground and disperse the air."

"If it works I'd say it's brilliant." He complimented. She gave a small smile and dragged the hot tube to the floor. She lay it on the floor.

"Ouch...no honestly I'm ok..." she sucked her finger she had burnt it on the tube. She switched the fan on. Instantly the room began to heat up. Quigley grinned.

"And the amazing Violet Baudelaire does it again." He announced as though he was telling them who had just won the football. She smiled and went back to her food.

"Did we sleep in?" asked Isadora as she came down the stairs, she added a yawn for effect. Klaus was right behind her.

"Nope, not really, it's only eight." Quigley said. "When we used to live at home we never saw you before two pm Izzy." She grinned sheepishly.

"I've grown up,"

"If it's only eight o clock why is the heating on?"

"Violet fan." Announced Sunny as she finished her carrot. She stole another from Violet's plate.

"Pardon me for being oblivious, but a fan is usually put in place to cool something down." Violet explained about the heating tube and the fan dispersing the heat.

"Violet you could've been hurt." Klaus scolded.

"She was." Quigley said without thinking. Violet glared daggers at him. The expression 'to glare daggers' does not mean small knives decided to protrude from Violet's eyes, more like she was very, very mad at him, and he should do best to stay out of her way.

"It's nothing, honestly, a little burn." Klaus gripped her wrist and viewed the mark on her hand. A red shiny burn had appeared on the back of her hand stretching up her right index finger. He shook his head.

"Does the hotel have a first aid kit?" he asked Isadora.

"The hotel doesn't seem to have anything... there's not even a bus boy or a manager or a receptionist."

"How does the food get here then?"

"Computer... we type in our names and it serves us, we don't even tell it what we want."

"Our names, where does this data go, anybody could access that!" Quigley panicked.

"Calm down, all this time with Jacques has made you a little paranoid." Isadora said soothingly. Her sing song poetic voice seemed to have that effect on anyone.

At midday Duncan was still not out of bed. Violet's makeshift heating fan had been turned off as the normal heating was now on.

"I'm going to go check on him." Isadora said worriedly, "He's usually awake before I am. I mean it's not like he had a late night or anything." Quigley shook his head.

"Typical Izzy you worry too much." He said surveying his map. He had worked out the distance in miles from Mount Fraught's Summit to the hotel. Klaus had found a book. This book is one found in almost every home in the UK and US. The dictionary. A very boring book it is, but very useful. Someone may ask you what 'Brummagem' means if a man has just announced it, you may then take the opportunity to tell them that that man is a fake and therefore not to be trusted. Thus saving this persons life.

"Well excuse me for caring Mr Sensitivity." She disappeared upstairs.

"Did you know Denouement means 'the final conclusion where the plot begins to make itself apparent?'" Klaus read.

"Coinkidink." Said Sunny. By 'Coinkidink' I can only assume Sunny meant Coincidence.

"I don't know it seems a little odd to me, do you think we'll find out everything about the VFD?"

"I don't think even the VFD know everything about the VFD." Quigley said scornfully

Violet was staring out the window. Snow lashed at the frame and stuck to the glass. 'The world is quiet here' she knew that song. Who had sang it to her? Was it her mother? Her father? She tugged her hair into a purple ribbon to keep it out of her eyes. Everyone who knew Violet knew she did this when she wished to think of an invention, her own little idiosyncrasy such as Klaus polished his glasses on his shirt when about to embark on his research. This time however Violet was not thinking of an invention, she was thinking about life, about the past, about her future, if it even existed. She wondered if she'd ever be happy, she wondered about the safety of her friends and siblings. It was enough to make a grown man cry. She remembered what Duncan had said to her 'a woman shows great bravery only by facing herself.' She sighed. She felt the warm tears sting her eyes. She didn't want to cry, Klaus and Sunny were still in the room. Isadora came down and sighed.

"He says it's a 'him' thing, and I wouldn't understand." She chewed her lip. "I'm worried about him."

"Ugh I better go see." Violet said. She was really just glad for an excuse to leave the room.

"Duncan?" she asked. He looked up at her.

"Hey." He said flatly.

"Hi, you ok?" Violet had found herself asking the question she had hated to be asked.

"I'm fine." He said. He was evidently a very good liar, she wondered where he had the experience from.

"You shouldn't lie to your friends." She scolded. He looked defeated.

"You caught me." He held up his hands in defeat and then became silent again. Violet had been hoping for an explanation.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" He looked upset.

"No." She sat on the edge of the bed beside him. She fiddled with the hem of Isadora's skirt.

"I told you about my nightmares I've never even told my brother about that." She said. She knew a way to manipulate people. It is not a very nice way to control someone, infact controlling someone is not a nice thing to do at all. Violet knew it was that or her friend was hurting on his own. She had sent him on a guilt trip. There is a saying I should now like to refer to 'a problem shared is a problem halved' I always thought this expression inadequate and would have thought 'a problem shared is a problem doubled' more accurate because then two people have to worry about this problem. Violet evidently saw the first one as correct.

"A problem shared is a problem halved Duncan, how can I help you if you won't tell me what's wrong."

"Violet! Snap out of it ok, you're not my mother and I'm not a little kid! I can deal with it on my own ok." She looked alarmed. He'd never yelled at her before. She raised her hands to her head and kneaded her temples.

"Look, I'm sorry I shouldn't have..." he started

"You're right I'm not your mother, and I'm sorry I care but I do okay and you'll have to accept that. You know I never understand you, one minute you're fine with me then next... the next I don't know you." she stormed off and locked herself in the bathroom.

Quigley couldn't concentrate on his cartography. Isadora was reciting poems like there was no tomorrow. Klaus was quoting every word in existence and it's definition from the oxford dictionary. Sunny was dropping a spoon repeatedly on the floor. She evidently enjoyed the effect it was having. He noticed Violet hadn't come down. He could only imagine what she and his brother were doing probably kissing. It made him a little sad. There is another expression I should like to use here the expression is 'plenty more fish in the sea' why women are referred to as fish I shall ponder to my dying day, but I have chosen this moment to say this because it was at this moment in time Quigley came to a revelation. She was not the only girl in the world. Although it made him sad to think about, this was not the end of the world.

"Violet?" Duncan knocked on the door.

"Go away."

"If you're like this now, imagine how you're going to be in a few months time!" he said.

"Shut up what if Klaus or somebody hears you!" everyone knows it's incredibly rude to tell someone to 'Shut up' but in the situation perhaps this is the one time it is excusable.

"Oh, please just open the door, we'll talk about this."

"Now you want to talk?" she said hysterically. Hysterical as Klaus may tell you someday can mean either VERY stressed or VERY excited. I can only assume Violet said this in a stressed voice, but the hotel mysteriously vanished long before I embarked on my research.

"Don't make me go get your brother,"

"Oh yeah drag him into it." It was obvious from her tone of voice to tell she was crying.

"Please Violet," he begged. He heard only silence and he prayed she hadn't done anything stupid. Then there was a click and the door opened. She was stood staring at him.

"Come here." He said he wrapped his arms around her. She stared over his shoulder absently. He ran his hands across her back. "I'm sorry ok I shouldn't have yelled."

"It's...ok." She said finally. "I guess with yesterday and everything..."

"Let's not talk about that eh? Cheer up." He put his fingers under her chin and brought her face up to his.

"Duncan what're..."

"You have GOT to chill out you're getting stressed over everything." He said calmly. She suddenly realised how tall he had gotten during his exploits on the self sustained mobile hot air home.

"What do your brother and my sister talk about?" asked Klaus a few days later. He had totally forgotten what day it was.

"Kiss." Said Sunny answering for Isadora.

"Oh they are not Sunny behave." Klaus told his little sister. She giggled playfully and continued to drop her spoon.

"What?"

"She said they're making out...basically." Klaus said he closed the dictionary. She shut her poetry book. Quigley rolled up his map. Sunny let go of her spoon for the final time. Something made them all stop in their tracks. A fire alarm had sounded. They all sprang into action.

"The assembly point is... What? The assembly point is VFD?" he queried.

"Violet, Duncan come on!" yelled Quigley, they didn't need to be told twice.

They stood shivering in the cold. Violet grasped Sunny close to her. So far there was no sign of any hotel staff, there was no smoke, and no apparent fire. It was thoroughly confusing.

"Who are you?" asked a voice. The spun round to see around a hundred people all stood behind them.

"Are you the VFD?" asked Klaus suddenly. He had been looking for this organisation for ages he wasn't about to let them slip through his fingers once again.

"How do you know about..."

"My name's Violet." Violet volunteered. "These are my siblings, Klaus and Sunny, and these are the Quagmires."

"Quagmire." Said a woman slowly... "But there's three, two died in that fire."

"No, my mother hid me in the tunnel, the one you all dug, Isadora and Duncan escaped."

"Your parents were noble." Said a man but he was not looking at the Quagmires he was instead looking at the Baudelaires which made them a little uncomfortable.

"Violet Klaus and Sunny..." repeated a different man. "I know those names."

"Baudelaire!" Sunny screeched. It came as a surprise to the VFD. One man removed his ludicrous purple top hat and said.

"The three Baudelaire children..."

"Yes that's us, you know of us?" asked Klaus.

"How know!"

"Sunny we've been following your progress, we heard your names mentioned in the murder of Jacques Snicket." Sunny gasped and shook her head.

"Innocence!" she cried worriedly. The man smiled at her.

"We know that, Men like Jacques make many enemies." Explained a woman. "Hello darlings." Isadora suddenly screeched.

"MOTHER!" and ran up to her. Duncan and Quigley looked at each other and nodded before running off too. Violet shifted her weight uncomfortably. She knew there was nobody here for her or her siblings.

"I'm afraid we can't tell any of VFD's secrets."

"There's so much we need to learn though." Said Klaus sadly. They were all sat around the table. "And we have to go tomorrow."

"Olaf is coming to burn it down." Said Violet. "The whole Hotel. And everybody in it." She cried. Quigley bit his lip and squeezed her shoulder. She shrugged it off.

"We know this must be difficult for you three after losing your parents we know you were taken on by Olaf himself."

"After he MURDERED our parents he tried to marry my sister. He murdered Uncle Monty and Aunt..."

"Josephine was a very brave woman until Isaac's death she began to fear everything including telephones." Said Mrs. Quagmire.

"But what I don't understand Mrs. Quagmire, if you'll forgive me asking, how did you escape."

"I told Quigley to stay put, we had expected an attack. I went to try and find my other two..." Isadora squeezed her mothers hand and Duncan looked at the floor. The floor tiles were bare and I see no sense in looking at floor tiles. Much less writing about looking at floor tiles. Much less than that reading about writing about floor tiles. Feel free to hit the back button on your browser at any time during this story. "So I went looking for them, I thought Isadora would be listening to music in her bedroom and Duncan reading in the library, the library was where it had started so Duncan was more of a priority... I ran around looking for ages looking back now they must have already escaped. I tried to go back for Quigley but it was too smoky. I escaped out the back way."

"And why didn't you try to find us mother?" Asked Quigley

"I knew you must be alive, I thought you were under the care of Dr. Montgomery. It wasn't safe for me yet."

Violet packed up Isadora's clothes. They were going to live with the Quagmires, in a new mansion. Isadora looked at her.

"I'm sorry Violet."  
"Eh, for what?"

"For... it may seem stupid but for not being an orphan." She said sheepishly. She was right. It did seem stupid. Infact it was incredibly stupid.

"Oh Isadora I wouldn't wish that on anyone, much less you or your siblings." Violet straightened up. She turned to face Isadora. Isadora was a little younger than her and a little older than Klaus. She was not a child. A young woman. Violet surveyed her and then finally wrapped her arms round Isadora. Isadora started to cry.

"You're like a sister to me Isadora and I would NEVER wish anything to hurt you I swear it."

"Biological!" Sunny cried. Which probably meant 'hey and I'm your REAL sister can you please help me out of this cot' Violet broke the hug and collected Sunny. Sunny waved goodbye to the Mortmain Mountains, it wasn't as if she'd miss them. She just wondered what misfortune might await them in the Quagmire Mansion. Surely life couldn't just go on as it had done before their parents had died. Could it?


	4. Chapter 4

A/n: Ok the copy cat fanfic has been removed and so as not to sound like a broken record I shall not mention it again. Thanks to all my reviewers blows kissesLove you all. It's a bit hard trying to follow your advice, some people say it's a bit hazy and ask if I can describe it more and others say it's a little too descriptive, some say copycatting Lemony's style is good, others say not so good. I'm sorry but I'm continuing this in the previous fashion. guilty look sorry. I tried to write 'Road Block' in my own style only it has a few minor Lemonyisms in it. I love making up words. Longest A/N ever: On with the story

* * *

There are many reasons in life why you may feel nervous, and then extremely embarrassed. If your teacher forces you to read a nine hundred word essay on the bible, even though it is one of the dullest books in the world, you may find yourself very nervous if she forces you to read it infront of the whole school assembly, you may then feel very embarrassed at the horror your friends put you through. You may go to the school dance in the hippest fashionable tube top ever I should henceforth like to point out this only applies to females and you feel very nervous talking to that lovely exchange student, you may then feel very embarrassed when you realise your tube top has suddenly slipped and made a very nice anklet. If you have ever experienced any of these things you may understand how Violet Baudelaire was feeling right then as she stood at the threshold of the Quagmire mansion.

She stared into the unknown, about to venture into the darkness, she wished she was 10 again and to solve darkness problems all she had to do was turn on the light. But she wasn't a little girl anymore, she was fourteen, she had done her own thing taken matters into her own hands before, so why was she so nervous? She was moving in with the Quagmires, her siblings and herself. They were to start a new life, not forgetting their old ones of course.  
"Come on Violet." Said Quigley. She didn't look at him. She stared into the house and took a deep breath as though preparing for a long dive off a thirty foot diving board, with the feeling in her stomach Violet wasn't sure whether she was stepping into the house or off the board. Klaus shifted uncomfortably, he felt very confused as to why his sister was taking her time to enter, he too had feelings terror and of anxiety which is a fancy word for nervousness but that was not stopping him entering the house. Duncan leaned forward and put his hand on her shoulder.  
"You're fine for now Violet, come on…" she took another deep breath and stepped inside. Mrs. Quagmire sighed in relief. Violet closed her eyes as though waiting to be stuck by lightening. Duncan sighed.  
"Mum shall we go find our rooms?"  
"Yes you all have separate rooms, take whichever you like, and Baudelaires, I know this isn't your home." Violet nervously opened her eyes. "But it is as good as, as I can provide." She had a twang of pain in her voice, which made the Baudelaires shift uneasily, they knew she was trying to help.  
"Mrs Quagmire, we're fine with living here, it'll just take my sisters and I a while to adjust." He answered. Quigley grabbed Violet and Isadora's bags, which were not surprisingly very light, considering the lack of clothes.

Violet was half way up the stairs case when she stopped.  
"Sunny are you ok with having your own room? You don't want to share with me or Klaus?" She asked carefully. Sunny looked up at her sister,  
"Violet please," she said sadly "Let me go." That was the longest sentence she'd ever said. It made Violet want to cry, instead she nodded weakly.  
"Yes, you're right… I shouldn't be so silly." She said. Duncan looked puzzled, he had been the only one behind Violet and Sunny so was caught in a traffic jam.  
"Come on girls, pick up the pace, don't want to get the leftover rooms now do we?" he joked. Violet nodded.  
"I suppose you're right, come on Duncan race you." she said. Sunny squeaked in annoyance but Duncan and Violet were deliberately slow enough to let her catch up.

Klaus's room was pale yellow with a lovely little corner perfect for curling up and reading. He had several empty shelves which Isadora informed him could be filled with books from the vast library downstairsand a desk lamp small enough so as not to cause any harm should it be thrown from the window in an attempt to harm someone below. Sunny's room was small and pink, not Sunny's favourite colour but it had many places to climb and lots of things to bite, perfect for the toddler to be accommodated in. Violet's room was violet, she had always liked the colour after which she was named so the colours suited her fine. The bed was small but comfortable and she liked the desk to one side, perfect for writing ideas on.

At midnight there was a knock on Violet's door, she was a little cautious to open it. Afterall some of the most dangerous people in the world knock at midnight. Midnight is supposedly the witching hour when all the ghosts and ghouls come out to play, then again it could be someone worse than a ghost or ghoul, it could be your big brother coming to hang you by your ankles, it could be the taxman. Violet was pleased to see it was not a ghost, ghoul or the big brother she didn't have, neither was it the taxman. It was Duncan.  
"What on…Duncan do you know what time it is!" Violet said in disbelief. She stood aside to let him in anyway.  
"Yeah I know it's late. I didn't wake you did I?"  
"No…" she said trying to be honest. "I couldn't sleep."  
"Me neither, we need to talk…"  
"Oh no whenever that sentence comes trouble always follows." She cried out.  
"Yeah I know nothing good ever comes from that sentence, it's about well… the you-know." Duncan looked awkwardly to Violet's stomach. She had thought it could be about that. "Your safe now so you don't…"  
"Duncan try as you may I'll never be safe. Never 100 safe at any rate… Everything is going to go the way it was supposed to." Duncan sighed.  
"The way it was supposed to be was your parents never died, you were supposed to grow up and go to college be a great inventor, get married and have kids in your twenties!" She bit her lip. That sounded so simple.  
"Duncan, it's my life… I'm in control."  
"No you're not… Violet!" his black hair fell infront of his eyes. Eyes are often called windows into ones soul, meaning you can always tell what someone is feeling because of their eyes… however if someone conceals their eyes it is not impossible to tell how they're feeling. Violet knew by tone of voice he was angry and upset at the same time. She found herself in the same situation Duncan had been in previously, she did not know what she could say to make it all right, for there was nothing she could say. "He is..." He whispered.

"Duncan I…" she started but she didn't finish, this time there was no reason for her to leave her sentence hanging. She sighed and switched on the light. It was a bit painful at first but her eyes adjusted. "I can still live a life normally, admittedly previous things class as way outside the limits of normal but… Duncan if I truly am safe here then… then I can still lead my own life."  
"Yeah you're really going to go to college leaving a kid at home and when you meet your future husband you might forget to mention you already have a child." Violet felt the anger flare inside her. Half of her wanted to scream at him and tell him that she would never do that. Part of her thought he was concerned and felt guilty toward the other part of her that was angry. And a small part…just a small part mind, wondered if it could be true. She sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, of course it was more than likely only a few moments.  
"I'm scared as much as you are Duncan… more so because I can't deny this, you don't have to be involved I shouldn't really expect you to be. I however have made my decision and yawn and I'm…sticking with it." She yawned again.  
"Come on bed…" he ordered. It wasn't a bossy tone more like an 'over-concerned-and-trying-to-avoid-the-topic' tone of voice.  
"I don't want to sleep right now."  
"You and Isadora are going shopping tomorrow… so you better be prepared, I made the mistake of going shopping with her once…"

"I don't want to be alone." She said quietly.  
"You're not alone… Isadora'll be with you…"  
"No I mean now…" she said awkwardly. She hadn't meant that at all but… Duncan thought he got her drift. That does not mean the window was open.  
"Oh brother, come on Violet…" he said sitting on the bed beside her. He brushed her hair from her eyes and turned off the light.

* * *

"Come on…Up, Up, Up." Isadora chirruped. She bounded into Quigley's room and attacked him with a pillow. He yawned and tried to force his sister off of him.  
"Ow, yeah go wake up Duncan and let me regain feeling in my legs." Isadora grinned. She leaned over and kissed her brother.  
"Okay," she said she hopped up and out of the room. Quigley looked after her and smiled a secret small smile. He knew his home had burned down, but surrounded by his family and the Baudelaire's he felt he was truly home once again. He heard her check Sunny's room, Sunny was apparently already up. Klaus was the next to be subjected to Isadora's hyperactivity.  
"Come on Klaus up you get!"  
"Isadora… it's early… our first day off in…like…" he yawed not feeling particularly articulate that early in the morning. She knew he was right, it was their first night sleeping with no worries in an awfully long time. She was eager to sit at the breakfast table surrounded by the ones she loved, for the first time in what seemed like forever she had something to look forward to. She grinned sheepishly.  
"Come on anyway. I don't care if it's early… you can't borrow Duncan's clothes forever, come on shops." She said she gave his arm a fruitless tug before dashing off. Klaus yawned and shook his head. Shaking your head is universal for the word 'No' but when Klaus shook his head at that moment in time it was with a smile on his face. The smile was short-lived however when a scream ripped through the building.

"DUNCAN QUAGMIRE!" screamed Isadora. After knowing her a while Klaus could read her like the books on his shelves. Her voice was filled with panic and fear. He clambered out of his bed. Isadora was staring into Duncan's room. It was empty, the covers were strewn across the floor in a very messy fashion. Any uneducated personin this instance meaning'not filled in on the situation' rather than 'intellectually below average' would assume there had been a struggle. Isadora gripped Klaus's hand and Sunny sighed.  
"Not gone." She muttered. She crawled over to the door on the left. She could walk she just found it was too early in the morning. In the morning there are many things you feel you cannot do: work for instance. Which is why it is a puzzle to me as to why schools start so early in the morning. Writing ASoUE stories should not be attempted at any point in life. least of all mornings. Sunnydidn't knock, just uprighted herself and opened the door. Isadora suddenly lost her panicked look and smiled slightly. She pointed Klaus in the right direction. Violet was laying asleep in the bed and Duncan was laying next to her. His arm was wrapped around her and she had her head on his chest.  
"I'm beginning to worry about your brother and my sister." Klaus said shaking his head in defeat. He wandered downstairs after Quigley who was by now laughing. Isadora smiled and sneaked in.

"Duncan…" she shook him gently. Sunny giggled and left them alone. Duncan yawned and turned his head to face his sister careful not to disturb Violet.  
"Uhm." He asked sleepily. Isadora gave him a wary look.  
"Shouldn't you be in your own bed lover-boy." She said. Duncan swatted at her.  
"Go away Izzy."  
"I've told you not to…" he ignored her and turned to Violet not letting his sister finish her sentence.  
"Violet wake up…" She shook her head sleepily. Isadora glared.  
"I'll leave you to wake her up and you better be downstairs in ten minutes." She scolded. Duncan mimicked her.  
"She gone?" Violet muttered sitting up and rubbing her eyes.  
"You were awake? Figures… I better leave you to get dressed. See you in ten." She tried to recall the nights events and tried to plan a lie to calm Isadora down.  
"Good morning Violet." Said Mrs Quagmire. Violet gave a weak smile.  
"So sleeping beauty finally graces us with her presence." Duncan announced as she arrived at the breakfast table.

"Hey you were only up a few minutes before I was!" she said trying to overlook the fact Duncan had called her sleeping beauty. She wasn't succeeding and was turning a bright shade of crimson. She sat down at the table between her siblings. Isadora was giggling and gossiping. Violet couldn't help but feel uncertain. She was talking about the future, Violet didn't know if there was a future for them.  
"…Are the old shops still around mum?" Duncan flicked his crust at her. She gasped and flicked it back, Quigley wasn't about to stand by and watch his siblings fight it out on their own, he of course joined in. After all that's wat brothers do. They get involved, they ruin your life and they hang you by your ankles. Well... my brothers anyway. Mrs Quagmire didn't try to break it up, she didn't even attempt to try. Sunny was angered by the fact she wasn't involved and stabbed Isadora with a carrot. Isadora paused and laughed. Klaus looked at his sister.  
"Violet are you ok?"  
"Hm, what…oh yeah. I'm fine."  
"No you're not… is it about Duncan?" he asked. She gave a small smirk and let her hair fall infront of her face so he wouldn't see.  
"No… it's not about Duncan." She whispered. "It's about me… it's a me thing and, I'll right myself in time okay Klaus?" he didn't want to but he nodded anyway. "Good…"

Shopping is a stereotypical female activity, this does not mean all girls enjoy shopping and all boys hate it, it just means that shopping is more commonly classed as a girls thing. Violet however was not fond of shopping, clothes shopping even less... but the fact remained that they needed new clothes so no matter how tedious the task was Violet and Sunny were dragged along with Isadora. Klaus Duncan and Quigley seperated from them so as not to spend ages in one shop.  
"What's up with your sister lately." Quigley asked. Duncan paled, he had hoped not to come on to that topic but the first thing his brother asked had to be that.  
"Don't know she says it's a 'me' thing."  
"Duncan, didn't you have one of those earlier… What's it all about?" Quigley asked.  
"Hey leave me out of this… I was just worried about Olaf,"  
"She probably got her period or some other girl stuff." Quigley muttered. Duncan shook his head, his brother was really dense sometimes.

The boys weren't the only ones getting worried about Viole andt after being there a few weeks Mrs Quagmire noticed Violet wasn't settling in as well as Klaus and Sunny. She didn't try to talk to her about it as she thought she could be the problem. When in a tough situation it is hard to leave something behind.  
"You're what!" Isadora demanded.  
"I have to go sweetheart I'll only be a few days. Violet will look after you, won't you Violet?" Violet's eyes widened and Duncan stepped in trying to avoid the question.  
"But mum what if Olaf comes?"  
"Who do you think we're dealing with Duncan? He can't be in two places at once." Violet although she knew she should trust in their side of the schism somehow didn't believe they would all be safe on their own, plus with her in charge.

And with that Mrs Quagmire was gone, just like that. Violet wondered if she'd see her again. It made her feel sad when she kissed her children and Sunny goodbye. She just tapped Klaus and Violets shoulders and said.  
"It'll be okay." Klaus had always hated those words as most of the times they were accidental lies. Isadora grinned.  
"Right mother gone or not you still have to go tidy your rooms."  
"Tidoom." Sunny moaned.  
"I don't scare if you say it's tidy young lady I'll be the judge of that." Isadora shook her head and took Sunny upstairs.  
"What's got into her?" asked Klaus. The two remaining triplets and Violet chose to ignore him.

Isadora's room was small and pale blue, she grabbed her notebook and began to scrawl. Usually her book was for poetry and today was no different. Couplets were her speciality, her unique talent. Duncan's was journalism and Quigley's was Cartography. She tried to think of words, normally they just came to her and the pen seemed to have a mind of it's own but right now it didn't feel right. She had drawn a complete blank. Since when was poetry so hard? Ack. Maybe she'd go spy on one of her brothers instead, it was much more interesting.

Quigley was playing air guitar- Boys, go figure. Klaus was reading. Sunny was biting something which was now unrecognisable (perhaps because Sunny had been biting it.) Duncan's room was empty. Isadora smirked, she knew where he'd be. Violet's room.  
"So it's definite now?" She heard her brother ask nervously.  
"Yes." Violet said slowly. She sounded a little bit scared. Isadora pushed the door open a little further to see what was going on. Violet was sitting down on the bed and Duncan was staring out of the window.  
"I'm a little nervous." She told him. Up until a few days ago it had seemed a little like a dream. Now it was definite.  
"Figures, there's no going back now." Isadora was very curious and edged a little closer to the door.  
"Do you think I don't know that? What do you take me for?" That was a rhetorical question she hadn't expected an answer, much less the one she got.  
"I don't know anymore Violet." She looked hurt. "Who are you?" Isadora was clueless to the situation but whatever it was that was way too harsh. She half wanted to go in and yell at Duncan and force him to apologise, but the other half of her and the part she listened to was to stay put and spy a bit more.  
"Just because of…this… it doesn't change anything, between us… Does it?" she asked biting her lip. Duncan sighed.  
"How am I supposed to know, this was your idea?" Whatever Violet's idea had been she was furious at him.  
"Then you shouldn't have agreed! You're right, maybe it was my idea but I'm not the oneregretting it!"  
"I didn't say…" he sighed. "This is getting out of hand." He ran his fingers through his messy hair.  
"I told you, you don't have to have anything to do with it, I told you already."  
"Violet like it or not you're not doing this on your own I won't let you. Isadora and Quigley won't let you. Sunny won't let you. Klaus…well… Klaus will probably yell a lot but…"

"Oh, I just realised. I'm going to have to tell him…" Duncan rolled his eyes.  
"No, you'll just wait 7 months and then…"  
"Oh be quiet!" Isadora was really interested but the conversation seemed to have died. She saw Duncan headed towards the door and ducked away back into her own room.

There was something going on here and it was her duty as a little sister to find out. Well actually it wasn't but anyone who has a little sister knows they will find out any information that they want by using their own methods. Anyone who has a little sister also knows they can be very subtle the use of that is to be said sarcastically Duncan and Violet were definitely not ok. Maybe she could just outright ask him?


End file.
